My Review of Best Friends Pet Care at WDW

[grimley1968]

Well, it’s not like someone from Best Friends actually PUT the snake there! Was she sure it was a water moccasin? Maybe it was Kaa!

Really? This is pretty insulting to the OP. If OP wasn't sure it was a water moccasin, OP wouldn't have posted that. I have no reason to suspect OP is not being truthful.

And who cares for the reason for the snake being there? It should not be within the pet area, period. There should be prevention measures in place and if that fails, their #1 priority should be to get rid of it. The presence of a venomous snake does not fit in with the concept of being a safe, humane environment for one to leave their "best friends", IMHO. Central Florida being a wetland area is no excuse. Kentucky is a much more rural place than Florida (and I've seen water moccasins on local lakes here in the summer), and we have other poisonous snakes, spiders, etc. If I saw one of those things in the pet area at a local kennel, I'd be just as disturbed as OP was in seeing a water moccasin at Best Friends. If I saw a water moccasin there, I would have a) pulled my pet out immediately and b) asked for my money back.

If the OP had sounded unreasonably negative, I might jump to the defense of "Best Friends", but the OP sounds very reasonable to me, even though the presence of a water moccasin is an extremely negative experience.

 

[YetiRider]

Why is it that you are so insistent on making it seem the OP was expecting too much? I can't help but wonder if you have a friend who works at the kennels, or a family member, for you to be so quick to jump to the kennel's defense.

No, I don't work at the kennel and I don't have any friends or family members who do. And if you look at the original thread I pointed out, http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2552159, you'll see that it has both positive and negative reviews going back a year. It's just that every time I've been there, our experience has been positive.
I think people have a right to BOTH points of view.

"For with each dawn, she found new hope that someday, her dreams of happiness would come true."
-Cinderella

 

[maxiesmom]

Why is it that you are so insistent on making it seem the OP was expecting too much? I can't help but wonder if you have a friend who works at the kennels, or a family member, for you to be so quick to jump to the kennel's defense.

No, I don't work at the kennel and I don't have any friends or family members who do. And if you look at the original thread I pointed out, http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2552159, you'll see that it has both positive and negative reviews going back a year. It's just that every time I've been there, our experience has been positive.
I think people have a right to BOTH points of view.

"For with each dawn, she found new hope that someday, her dreams of happiness would come true."
-Cinderella

Of course they do. However you are being almost insulting of the OP and their point of view. I wouldn't find a poisonous snake in the same area as my dog something to brush off, as you seem to think it is. Add to that the fact that most of your few posts on this board have been all about Best Friends and how great they are, and it is a bit fishy.

Why not start your own thread on how great the kennels are, instead of berating those who don't hold your point of view?

 

[nono]

Which low-paid worker is supposed to go running and remove the poisonous snake? I think that it raises a concern for sure, but is knowing how to properly remove a poisonous snake part of the job skills of the kennel workers? If not, would you (universal you) attempt it?

I think the snake issue definitely needs to go in the OPs letter along with the suggestion contained in the thread on how to remediate the area. It truly may have been an oversight on the company's part because well, no one thought of it!

In our case, we used BF as a back-up because our normal kennel was closed. I don't think subjecting any dog to a long drive and then throwing him/her into a new environment is going to be beneficial to most dogs. You may be super-excited on the drive there, but really, what's the dog getting at the other end of the trip? Nothing (and possibly less) than he/she could have gotten with a 20 min ride from home. Just a thought.

OP, I sure hope you sent that letter to the corporate offices (and maybe copied the manager of the WDW location). You provided a lot of feeback here that could really make a difference if the company is at all concerned.

 

[grimley1968]

Which low-paid worker is supposed to go running and remove the poisonous snake? I think that it raises a concern for sure, but is knowing how to properly remove a poisonous snake part of the job skills of the kennel workers? If not, would you (universal you) attempt it

That's for the kennel to worry about, not the OP or anyone on this board. I'd guess they'd need to call animal control. Regardless, I do know it's an unacceptable risk to have one inside a kennel common area, and it's their responsibility to provide a safe and humane environment for pets to be lodged. Gators are indigenous to the area, but I have not once seen one climbing out of one of the many small lakes in the area toward a hotel or park. That's not to say they don't exist in the area (and I've seen them all over other areas in Florida), and WDW surely has their own version of animal control (or close offsite contractor) to deal with the occasional gator that gets a little too close. The same kind of preventive animal control should be undertaken to prevent poisonous snakes from coming anywhere near people's cats and dogs.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

That's for the kennel to worry about, not the OP or anyone on this board. I'd guess they'd need to call animal control. Regardless, I do know it's an unacceptable risk to have one inside a kennel common area, and it's their responsibility to provide a safe and humane environment for pets to be lodged. Gators are indigenous to the area, but I have not once seen one climbing out of one of the many small lakes in the area toward a hotel or park. That's not to say they don't exist in the area (and I've seen them all over other areas in Florida), and WDW surely has their own version of animal control (or close offsite contractor) to deal with the occasional gator that gets a little too close. The same kind of preventive animal control should be undertaken to prevent poisonous snakes from coming anywhere near people's cats and dogs.

Exactly this.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I'm sorry that you didn't feel your dog had a good experience. However, after browsing the Best Friends website, I think your experience was standard for what you booked.

I've commented in red within the quote.

A few weeks ago, I visited WDW and used Best Friends Pet Care. The following is my review of our experience.

I signed my dog up for an indoor only suite months ahead of time with bottled water each day. Since there are no pictures on the website of the "suites," only dimensions of the "room", I was imagining a small long hallway type of room with a glass door similar to what is shown in the pictures on the website. At check-in, there was quite a long wait even though there were only two guests in the lobby and 4 employees standing around in the front.

The website quite clearly states that the indoor only suites are 4 feet by 7 feet or 4 feet by 8 feet with 3 feet of clearance (height).

They asked for instructions about when my dog needs to eat, what he eats and sign a waiver that if he is injured or killed the kennel is not responsible. Then I had to either write in an amount of money I would like to spend to save him if he is dying or check off "at all costs." They also asked me if he had any aggressive behaviors and if he needed to keep his harness on all the time or just for walks.

I think these are quite necessary items for any boarding facility to address. Your phrasing seems a touch dramatic to me.

He was allowed two toys, food, and his pee pad. No water bowls or bedding were allowed. An employee was trying to get a paper collar on my dog and he was a little afraid of her. There was no attempt to make him comfortable. They simply grabbed his leash and coldly led him down the concrete hallway. No goodbyes, no cheerful demeanor, no getting to know him etc.

I visited my dog a few hours later. We went out along the small walkway. I was expecting a longer trail, this was probably less than 1/10 of a mile on gravel. It was fenced in which was good, and there was a water fountain for dogs to drink out of halfway down. The dog park area was double gated for entry and exit. There was a fountain with several areas of rocks that were covered in algae and mold. There were two water dishes which were both empty. There were two very small wading pools which were also empty and 3 benches. There was an area of real grass, a fake grass area and a gravel area. There were many brushy bushes along the inside edge of the dog park. The bushes immediately made me nervous since it provided an ideal habitat for snakes. I am someone who likes snakes and I have no fear of them, however this was clearly an IDEAL snake habitat, and since Florida is full of venomous snakes, I feel like they should have been wiser in choosing the landscaping/bushes. After a little while, we headed in through the right entrance past the "villas." The villas are the small hallways with the glass doors.

The trail is stated as 1400 square feet. That would be 400 feet long and 3.5 feet wide. Or other dimensions. It isn't misleading when they clearly state the dimensions on the site.

I went in and up to the desk. I asked to see where my dog was staying. They hesitated to show me but reluctantly did. I was quite surprised by where he was being kept. It did not meet my expectations, and it was definitely not a "room" as described on the website. He was in a very small, low cage which was mainly wire and stainless steel. It held his pee pad, a small cot with a small area of stainless steel left over for the floor. The area of the "suites" was deafening, which can be expected. There were cages/kennels everywhere stacked on top of each other. It reminded me of a veterinary cage. Nervous dogs would have nowhere in their accommodations to hide as the cage was primarily open/wire on the front and back. There were rows of wire/steel cages everywhere. Next to my dog, two large spaniels were sharing the same size small cage.

I'm going to guess that the cot is 4 x 4. And his peed pad is 2 x 2? So the cot takes up 16 square feet and the peed pad another 4. That would leave a small area (3 x 3 approx), as described. And the height of the cage is stated as 3 feet on the site.

As for the dogs boarded together, the website plainly states that the only animals boarded together are dog/dog or cat/cat, they MUST be from the same household and are boarded together at the request of the owners.

I did not like the area at all. It was clean, it didn't smell, but I find that they mislead you on the website to think that you are getting a room, something better than a cage. If I wanted a cage, I could have boarded him at a vet's office. I attempted to upgrade him to a villa but they were all booked, so I looked at the indoor outdoor which was much smaller and only opened certain times of the day. I kept the indoor-only.

I've read through the accommodations page multiple times and they are stating the 3 foot clearance (height). Not sure how that could mean a room. The pictures shown are clearly the indoor/outdoor suites, as you can see two rooms in each picture.

I visited my dog 2-3 times per day for 30-60 minutes. Only one time did I see an employee who actually appeared to like dogs and make an effort to be cheerful. Pretty much every time I went, there was nobody in line and it still took 20 minutes for them to bring my dog out. One day on the walking trail, we saw a water moccasin (venomous) inside the gate near the water fountain. I went in and informed the employees and they did not seem at all concerned. I feel like they should have went out and removed it before a dog was bitten.

Over the week, my dog became increasingly stressed out. He didn't want to go back with the employees and they made no effort to bond with him or make him comfortable. Nearly every time I went in, there were 4-5 girls standing around at the front desk discussing their hair and clothes. I even saw a manager calling to them and asking for some help in the back. She was also annoyed at their lack of work ethic.

Throughout the trip, each time I went to see my dog he was soaked on his underside. On his last morning he began to yelp as if something was hurting him when you touched his side. I assume that they were leaving the harness on him against my wishes because he was not in any playgroups where he could have been injured. I am trying not to think of other explanations for his sudden yelping in pain.

One last thing I would like to mention are the two included "walks." When I think of a walk, I think of a dog getting some time to move around and actually walk. However, the walks that the suite dogs were getting were stepping outside a door on a small patch of fake grass for 2-3 minutes to pee and go back in the cage. They were not walking on the trail or in the dog park. They were literally stepping out onto a tiny patch of fake grass and going back in. There was absolutely no actual walking involved on any of the occasions I observed. Keep in mind, this is during slow season. I can't imagine during peak.

The website states that the "walks" are "potty walks". I wouldn't expect anything more than the dog being taken out to do his/her business. Especially when there is a sentence immediately following that guests may take their dog out to the walking trail if they wish.

On a positive note, the dog park was clean of poop and did not smell. The cage area and walking trail seemed clean and did not smell either.
I know a lot of people like Best Friends at WDW, but I was not impressed. I am writing this review to inform others of the experience we had this September of 2011.

As I said, I'm sorry that you felt the experience was misleading and disappointing. However, from what I read on the site, I feel that you were provided with the exact service described.

 

[grimley1968]

As I said, I'm sorry that you felt the experience was misleading and disappointing. However, from what I read on the site, I feel that you were provided with the exact service described.

I find it hard to believe that a water moccasin near the pets would be part of the "exact service described".

 

[nono]

That's for the kennel to worry about, not the OP or anyone on this board. I'd guess they'd need to call animal control.

Right. Which is different than the comment just a little upthread that:

In my opinion, the staff should have at least gone out immediately to remove it. If there had been a venomous snake in one of the baby care stations or kiddie pools, I'm sure cast members would have taken action.

All I know is asking for a low-wage, likely untrained person, to go risk injury or death is out of range of normal acceptability. Closing the area while waiting for skilled animal control? Sure, that would be reasonable, and what would probably happen if a snake were in a kiddy pool too.

Now, if anyone on this thread knows that snake removal is part of the job description of the workers at Best Friends, then I'm in total agreement that the staff should have gone out immediately.


P.S. I've seen gators at WDW. Shoot, I've even had the Disney bus drivers stop and point them out. You need to get better bus drivers!

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I find it hard to believe that a water moccasin near the pets would be part of the "exact service described".

Where exactly did I say that the water moccasin was acceptable?

But snakes, gators, critters etc are facts of life at WDW. We have seen numerous snakes, at Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach, Wilderness Lodge etc... and there was a report from a DISer about her son being bitten by a snake at Carribbean Beach Resort. If there are snakes at resorts for people, there will likely be snakes at the resort for dogs as well.

I addressed certain points in the OP's post where she felt she had been mislead and I felt that the website outlined those services clearly.

 

[grimley1968]

But snakes, gators, critters etc are facts of life at WDW. We have seen numerous snakes, at Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach, Wilderness Lodge etc... and there was a report from a DISer about her son being bitten by a snake at Carribbean Beach Resort. If there are snakes at resorts for people, there will likely be snakes at the resort for dogs as well.

Yes, as dangerous critters are everywhere in the US. But having a highly venomous snake inside a common area where pets might go is not acceptable, under any circumstances. To say they are indigenous to the area or that sometimes people get bitten by snakes on Disney property does not excuse it in this case. Water moccasins can kill people with just a few bites and could even more easily kill a pet.

I don't feel the OP was being overly dramatic. I thought the OP was reasonable with the experience described, especially about the snake. I'd have been much more irate, I think.

As to whether someone that works at the kennel should be trained in poisonous animal removal, or they call the same people they call when removing dangerous animals (like gators) from guest populations, does not matter to me and is not the point. The point is that it is an unacceptable situation and should have been remedied immediately, which it apparently wasn't in this case. That, to me, is the most damning thing the OP mentioned. It shows a) an unsafe environment for pets and b) an extreme lack of regard for the safety of the pets in their care.

 

[c3363]

Where exactly did I say that the water moccasin was acceptable?

But snakes, gators, critters etc are facts of life at WDW. We have seen numerous snakes, at Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach, Wilderness Lodge etc... and there was a report from a DISer about her son being bitten by a snake at Carribbean Beach Resort. If there are snakes at resorts for people, there will likely be snakes at the resort for dogs as well.

I addressed certain points in the OP's post where she felt she had been mislead and I felt that the website outlined those services clearly.

Hello,

Thanks for sharing your opinion. I'm glad that others have had better experiences than I did. Like I've said in previous posts, I based my visit on those positive reviews. I would hope that my trip was an exception. However, I feel that it is important to post reviews honestly even if they do not fall favorably on the business so that readers can make their own decisions about whether or not to utilize particular services. If some feel it is an exaggeration, that's fine, they can choose to visit and make their own judgement. I am not preventing anyone from their right to view positive reviews by posting my experience.

It is my opinion that the kennel is substandard. I described it as I saw it. Have you also visited the indoor and indoor/outdoor suites in person? Did you find them acceptable? Do you think it's suspicious that guests cannot take photographs of their own pet ONLY while in that area? Why do you think that policy is in effect along with not being able to escort your dog back with an employee after showing proof of ownership? In my opinion, this is to prevent most owners from going back there.

The accommodations are very partially shown on the website which is misleading in my opinion. Others may not feel the website is misleading, so they should have no problem with my description of a low small wire and steel cage. I wonder why Best Friends does not show full photos of the standard suites in favor of closeups of a dog's face if there is nothing to hide? This is the first sentence of the description from the website: "These climate-controlled suites are up to 32 square feet, and provide a pet cot for your dog’s comfort. Dogs have unlimited access to their patio area, except during cleaning." You can only see a small dog with his head in a doorway and a large dog in a much larger room under the Standard Suite area. The large dog in the room does not represent any of the indoor/outdoor or indoor only accommodations. The indoor/outdoor accommodations are actually significantly smaller than the indoor only. Dimensions are given, but without photographs, it is difficult to visualize the area. I am very confident that had the owners of the two large spaniels been able to visualize the size of the suite, they would not have chosen to board them together as the dogs could barely move.

I mentioned some aspects of the walks and accommodations that I personally felt were misleading. The information I reviewed was based on my 2-3 daily visits for 7 days in September. If these aspects are not misleading to other guests, than they will have no problem when visiting.

I personally don't agree with the waiver even if it is considered standard by some people. Personally, I think there are numerous instances where the kennel should be held responsible for injury or death.

In addition, fabricating food intake reports is not one of the services I should expect. Not accurately checking vaccine records is another serious concern. Visiting a dog who is soaked in urine, yelping in unexplained pain and completely miserable due largely to a lack of any affection whatsoever on the part of the employees is not what I expect from a "luxury pet resort." Keep in mind this is a dog that has never in his life soiled himself.

In terms of snake removal, it doesn't matter what the employees are being paid. That is not my responsibility or concern. If they are unable to remove the snake, they can close off the area like others have said and call in someone who is more qualified. And to answer the question of "would I move the snake myself?" Absolutely! If the snake wouldn't move along on it's own and I had proper safety equipment (which is very easy to acquire). However, I do have experience with reptiles. Is it a guest's job or responsibility to do this? Absolutely not.

 

[DizDoggieMom]

Gonna weigh in here, too.

There are photos of the regular suites right at the top of the homepage of their website: wdw.bestfriendspetcare.com. We toured the whole building and there wasn't a wire cage in the entire place. I wouldn’t call the rooms "cages" either -- on the website, it says they're 4x8. I didn't measure, but they look just like the photos and are a lot bigger than at the vet.

We were very happy there. My pets were, too.

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

well that is not an option anymore... sorry for your experience

 

[c3363]

Gonna weigh in here, too.

There are photos of the regular suites right at the top of the homepage of their website: wdw.bestfriendspetcare.com. We toured the whole building and there wasn't a wire cage in the entire place. I wouldn’t call the rooms "cages" either -- on the website, it says they're 4x8. I didn't measure, but they look just like the photos and are a lot bigger than at the vet.

We were very happy there. My pets were, too.

I'm glad that you had a good experience.

The indoor only suites for dogs staying in the middle aisles are definitely wire grid on the front and back. Thus, dogs cannot escape the sight line of other dogs from both sides. The suites are steel on the sides.

Like I mentioned before, if people visit the website and are able to visualize the cages through partial photos or dimensions, they will have no problem when they visit the kennel and see the cages in person. You stated that you don't feel the website is misleading, but other people might which is why I posted a review.

The website was misleading to ME personally due to the lack of photography showing the entire suite area along with one of the photos of a large dog in a tall long hallway type structure. Since the website states that the indoor only areas are larger than the indoor/outdoor, I assumed that the taller hallway structure with solid walls was the indoor only suite. Instead, the only structures that I saw that looked like that photograph, were the villas. If there were standard suites this size, certainly the two large spaniels should have been sharing one rather than being kept in a cage where they could barely move or stand up?

I feel that the website should show full photos of the standard suites, not closeups of dog's faces (pekingese) or what I believe to be a photo of a villa. Like I've said before, if they have nothing to hide, why hide behind a no photography policy ONLY in that area? If I had seen a photo of the area the dogs were being kept in prior to my trip, I would have looked into other options for my dog. IMO the kennel knows that many people will not be happy with these accommodations which is why they hesitate to show the area, don't allow photography, and don't show full photos of the suites on the website.

I don't dispute that others have had good stays there. I would hope that MOST people have a better stay than we did because we were not at all happy and the size of the cage was certainly not our only issue.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

In red again.

Hello,

Thanks for sharing your opinion. I'm glad that others have had better experiences than I did. Like I've said in previous posts, I based my visit on those positive reviews. I would hope that my trip was an exception. However, I feel that it is important to post reviews honestly even if they do not fall favorably on the business so that readers can make their own decisions about whether or not to utilize particular services. If some feel it is an exaggeration, that's fine, they can choose to visit and make their own judgement. I am not preventing anyone from their right to view positive reviews by posting my experience.

It is my opinion that the kennel is substandard. I described it as I saw it. Have you also visited the indoor and indoor/outdoor suites in person? Did you find them acceptable? Do you think it's suspicious that guests cannot take photographs of their own pet ONLY while in that area? Why do you think that policy is in effect along with not being able to escort your dog back with an employee after showing proof of ownership? In my opinion, this is to prevent most owners from going back there.

No, I don't find it suspicious. The kennel is a privately owned company and has the right to implement their own rules, including no photography. What if some dogs are spooked by camera flashes? Etc. They don't need to provide an explanation and they did in fact take you to see the area. Others on this thread have toured the entire facility as well.

As far as escorting your pet back with the staff, again, they are a private facility with their own rules. What if there are only half a dozen staff working and yet there are a dozen owners wishing to escort their pets back? They need to limit access to the non-public areas because they are exactly that, non-public. Restaurants, Resort Hotels, Theme Parks, Airports etc won't allow customers in "staff only areas" either.

The accommodations are very partially shown on the website which is misleading in my opinion. Others may not feel the website is misleading, so they should have no problem with my description of a low small wire and steel cage. I wonder why Best Friends does not show full photos of the standard suites in favor of closeups of a dog's face if there is nothing to hide? This is the first sentence of the description from the website: "These climate-controlled suites are up to 32 square feet, and provide a pet cot for your dog’s comfort. Dogs have unlimited access to their patio area, except during cleaning." You can only see a small dog with his head in a doorway and a large dog in a much larger room under the Standard Suite area. The large dog in the room does not represent any of the indoor/outdoor or indoor only accommodations. The indoor/outdoor accommodations are actually significantly smaller than the indoor only. Dimensions are given, but without photographs, it is difficult to visualize the area. I am very confident that had the owners of the two large spaniels been able to visualize the size of the suite, they would not have chosen to board them together as the dogs could barely move.

I saw the website description. 4 x 8 IS 32 square feet, and 4 x 7 is 28 square feet. And 3 feet of clearance indicated that the suites have a height of three feet. So they are being completely truthful and forthcoming.

It further describes the following for indoor/outdoor:

Bedrooms are 4’ x 4’ and 3’ x 4’. All bedrooms have a minimum of 3 feet of clearance. Patios are 3’ x 8’ and 4’ x 8’. Patios have more than 9 feet of clearance. The larger suites are comfortably sized for most dogs, except giant breeds.

So yes, the indoor portions of the indoor/outdoor ARE smaller, 16 square feet and 12 square feet respectively. Again, three feet of clearance indicated a 3 foot height for the indoor portion.

The patios are 24 and 32 square feet respectively. They have 9 feet of clearance, so they are 9 feet high. The large dog you speak of sure looks like he is in a 4 x 8 patio with 9 feet of clearance. The cage behind him looks 4 x 4.

I mentioned some aspects of the walks and accommodations that I personally felt were misleading. The information I reviewed was based on my 2-3 daily visits for 7 days in September. If these aspects are not misleading to other guests, than they will have no problem when visiting.

I understand you felt the walks were misleading, however the website clearly states that they are "potty walks" and owners are free to walk their dogs recreationally on the trail etc.

I personally don't agree with the waiver even if it is considered standard by some people. Personally, I think there are numerous instances where the kennel should be held responsible for injury or death.

The insurance premiums of the kennel would be through the room if they assumed ANY responsibility for death or injury. For example, in pet-friendly accommodations I believe the same stands. Heck, in human-friendly accommodations the same stands! Disney will not assume responsibility for injuries, or even deaths, that occur on property. And if there was an rare exceptional circumstance, a law suit could be brought.

In addition, fabricating food intake reports is not one of the services I should expect. Not accurately checking vaccine records is another serious concern. Visiting a dog who is soaked in urine, yelping in unexplained pain and completely miserable due largely to a lack of any affection whatsoever on the part of the employees is not what I expect from a "luxury pet resort." Keep in mind this is a dog that has never in his life soiled himself.

I went back and re-read your original post. I didn't interpret your dog having a wet underside as him having soiled himself. I assumed he had gotten wet from his water bowl etc. I apologize, you are right, that is not acceptable.

In terms of snake removal, it doesn't matter what the employees are being paid. That is not my responsibility or concern. If they are unable to remove the snake, they can close off the area like others have said and call in someone who is more qualified. And to answer the question of "would I move the snake myself?" Absolutely! If the snake wouldn't move along on it's own and I had proper safety equipment (which is very easy to acquire). However, I do have experience with reptiles. Is it a guest's job or responsibility to do this? Absolutely not.

Just because the staff didn't immediately show concern or jump to fix the situation doesn't mean they didn't address the issue. We encountered a much larger snake at Coronado Springs. It was on one of the exterior corridors, it was 4 feet long and a good 5 inches wide at it's widest point. We called the front desk and asked for it to be removed. No one seemed panicked or concerned. In fact, they stated it was a common occurrence.

And it DOES matter what they are paid. It isn't in their job description to remove a poisonous creature. Again, do you know for a fact that they didn't go and close the trail after you notified them?

 

[JohnO]

The op gave his honest opinion. Yet some find it necessary to argue semantics of the website. It doesn't change the fact that it was not what he was expecting.

The fact that there are ZERO photos online of the indoor suites is quite suspicious. The argument that there are no photos because some dogs might e afraid of the flash? Give me a break!! They could have taken pics of the rooms while the place was still vacant and about to open.

They should have photos of each accommodation choice online. They don't however, and my belief is that once you get to WDW with your pet, it's too late to turn back. So you're stuck housing your pet in the suite. The suite that I'm sure many folks would not have chosen if they'd seen online, before they arrived at WDW.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

First red flag should have been the long wait time, second one should have been their reluctance to show you their accommodations.

I agree.
The veterinary hospital that I work at has a boarding kennel. Our hosptal is one of the oldest animal hospitals in the area. It is not pretty, but it is spotless clean and AAHA accredited and our clients appreciate that more than it being a nice place to look at. They should have no issue showing you around. That to me is a huge red flag.

Best Friends Pet Care shut down their locations in each of the parks and built the one large one. I believe it is a horrible spot, because there are swamps near it, which means alligators, snakes, bugs..etc. They might say that they check, but they don't about the Bordatella vaccine (for Kennel Cough) my dog contracted it after staying at the Magic Kingdom one when it was open.
We were never asked for that paperwork. She even had the current vaccine only weeks old. But she still contracted it. We have never had luck with any of the locations that were in WDW and refuse to ever use BFPC, even at the new location. Also, when we used the MK one, we had my dog Amber (who is a rottweiler) on a choke chain. They kept it on her so tight during her stay that it began wearing away the hair on her neck. Even after we would check on her, it always seemed to tighten mysteriously.

I'm sorry your Rottie was treated that way.

They should absolutely be checking for up to date vaccines!

I have worked at kennels for years, worked in a vets office for 1 year, Camp Bow Wow for a few months (worst job ever), and another local kennel here. We have had our experience with Best Friends Pet Care (There is a location up here. It reminds me much of the kennel on the movie Homeward Bound, it is disgusting, the people do not care.

Lots of the people employed in kennels are people who could care less about animals. When I worked at Camp Bow Wow, I noticed another employee who kicked my dog, but she was a senior employee. Had been there for years, it makes you wonder sometimes.

It takes a special kind of person to do that kind of work for sure!
I would only trust my animals (three cats, three dogs) with the care of my local vet who has boarding areas. I have friends who work there, so we know they're well taken care of. I personally would ask around next time you board your animals to family, friends, anyone and ask about their experiences with local kennels.

Most offsite kennels will include their walks, they don't require you to visit 2-3 times per day. They'll charge you for extra walks but they shouldnt be that expensive.

They should at least provide a place to potty.

We have indoor kennels with outdoor runs. The dogs potty outside(Hopefully ). We do charge extra for walks/playtimes, but it not expensive at all and the animals get their owner's money worth. We actually walk them around the property for about 20 minutes...Playtime is usually about a half an hour and we actually PLAY with the dogs.

Not to metion they get cuddles through the day. I know that if I am on kennel duty, when I open the kennels, they get cuddles. That's just how I am. If I have time, I'll even throw in a playtime at no charge...Happy dogs are healthy dogs.

Perhaps w/ a 14 year old dog...the vet is the best place to board him

I think that a senior dog can successfully be boarded in a non-medical facility as long as they have knowledgable employees.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I think this is exactly why we don't have dogs. We travel quite a bit (just not nearly often enough to WDW) and I would be a basket case over trying to find someone trustworthy to care for my dogs--too many stories like this. I LOVE dogs, but the amount of time we spend away from home has always held me back from having them.

I have cats. Thankfully, they are super easy to leave home alone when we are on vacation. We just pay the neighbor kid to come by twice a day to feed and water them and play with them a little bit.

This is the first year for me to travel and have to pay for someone to pet sit for me. My first pet sitting service turned round and told me they wouldn't do the job a week before I went because my old collie isn't to good on her house training and (after telling me it would be ok) didn't like the chickens. I found another pet sitting service who sent me emails with pictures and left a daily report of what they had done with the pets. I will be using them next year.